Member countries in the Visa Waiver Programme

There are currently 38 countries in the Visa Waiver Programme, including Switzerland. Nationals from these countries may enter the USA without a visa and remain there for up to 90 days.

Exceptions: The Visa Waiver Programme does not apply to travellers who were in Iraq, Iran, Syria or Sudan on or after 1 March 2011. This is also the case if you are a dual national of one of these countries.

All eligible Visa Waiver Programme travellers must hold a biometric passport (e-chip) for travel as of April 1, 2016.

Andorra

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Chile

Czech Republic

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Portugal

San Marino

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Korea

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

United Kingdom

ESTA travel authorization

For visa-free immigration into the USA, it is essential that you have the ESTA electronic travel authorisation.You will not be allowed to enter the country without this document. You must apply for the travel authorisation at least 72 hours before departure. It is valid for two years and allows repeated entries into the country provided your passport does not expire during this period. You can update your details and travel destinations on the ESTA website at any time. There is a charge for these changes of US$ 14 per entry.

Exceptions: Any ESTA travel authorisations that have already been issued will become invalid if you were in Iraq, Iran, Syria or Sudan on or after 1 March 2011. This is also the case if you are a national of one of these countries.

API data collection

Airlines are obliged to transmit the details of all passengers to the US authorities on the day of departure. This is done using the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS). The information that is recorded includes your name, passport number and the address where you will be staying in the USA. Specific and complete details will spare you any unpleasantness at your destination airport. The easiest thing to do is to transmit your data online in advance. If this is not possible, the details will be taken at the check-in machine or when you check-in at a counter.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Anyone entering the USA is obliged to provide their details to the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This information is then compared with the "watch lists". These details consist of the full name, date of birth and gender (legal basis 49 U.S.C. item 114 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and 49 C.F.R parts 1540 and 1560). People who do not provide this information may be refused carriage or admission to the gate. Travellers with a redress number must provide it.

The TSA may compare the data you provide with data from penal facilities, news agencies and other authorities (in accordance with the published system of records notices).

You will find full information on the TSA privacy policy, the system of records notices and the data privacy compatibility assessments at www.tsa.gov.

Important: Flights to the United States

Due to increased security precautions, we recommend travellers to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before take-off.

The most important links

The immigration regulations for the USA are comprehensive, but easy to comply with. You will find detailed information on the most important subjects here: